New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-07
NO HOPE FOR MR.. BEECHER.
LYING ALL DAY IN A WHOLLY UNCON-
SCIOUS STATE.
THE CRISIS THOUGHT TO HAVE COME YESTERDAY
MORNING-HE RALLIES SLIGHTLY AFTER
wARD-sTATEMrNTs AND BULLETINS

MoRNiNG-HE RALLIES SLIGHTLY AFTER
wARD-sTATEMrNTs AND BULLETINS
FROM THE DOCTORS.
The Rev. Henry Ward Beecher's death is now ap-
parcnty only matter Of hours. lie sank steadily
all day. falling by evening into cOmatose
condition that could not be broken. Only his
naturally strong constitution and stubborn powers
Of endurance can prolong his life at the most for
another twenty-four hours. Grief in Brooklyn yes
terday over the famous preachers approaching
death was universal. The house in IIcks-st. where
Mr. Beecher lay. was beset AL day with anxious in
quirers and tho bulletins posted on the door from
hour to hour were read with absorbing eagerness
by hundreds of men ard women 8 anding IN tho
ram and then passed by word of mouth through all
the neighborlng streets Messages of coincidence
came all day long from all quarters oil classes both
in Brooklyn and elsewhere joining in express o IS
of gri& at the loss of is distinguished preacher,
citizen and orator.
eat o'clock this morning Mr.. Beecher
was still utterly unconscious. and there
had been no apparent change in his condition.
The peaceful condition Of the patient announced
by DR.. Searle at o'clock yesterday morning con-
tinued until about q. m, when an alarming
change took place. Rlorden, the male nurse
who was watching at the bedside noticed
that tho patients breathing was becoming ex-
tTeHieiy iaDoren lie gaspeu 1Or Orcatn ab JlIIieS
and his left hand, which was lying outstretched on
the pillow, opened and closed convulsively, and
showing, as the watchers thought. that crisis
was at hand. Mrs Beecher and the
other members of tho family were sum-
moped. They too. thought that death had
really come and were Of it that they felt 1t
unnecessary to summon medical aid.
Happily the alarm proved false. The patients
breathing gradually became easier. All convulsive
movements ceased and in about half an hour Mr..
Beecher was again resting quietly, as quietly at
least as the apopectic twitchings would allow.
About o'clock DR.. Searle called He found his
hopes of the night before fairly realized and, after
an examination. posted the following bulletin:
"a m;mMr BCecher is about the same No Gel change
About an hour later came another relapse, which
so alarmed the family that Major Pond, who has
acted as Mr. Beecher's agent for years and who ar
rived from Washington early yesterday morn
ing, jumped into cab and started across
the Bridge for Dr. Hammond. The Doe
TOT was not able to get away at the
time. aud Major Pond then asked DR.. w. Tod Hell
muth to come tonight
In the meantime Mr.. Beecher had improved
again. The result of an examination led to tho
posting of this bulletin ut / o'clock:
Professor ". r. Homuth. OF New York. had consulta
ton aud fully confirms the opinion OF the other ply
sicians. lie may however, live for some days.
VS.. sEARIR.
This announcement was read with deep SORROW
by crowds OF people, who called at the house IN
licks-st on their way from the churches. Some OF
the older members Of Plymouth Church. such as
John T. Howard, went in 10 condolo with the fam
lily There were more callers in the afternoon,
among them S. V. " hlte. cx.Mayor Low, the Rev
s. B Halliday, Thomas q. Shearman. Colonel
Jacques, ey-Aiderman Rowland. General Horatio
C.. King General Christansen. DR.. Stone. Mayor
Whitney. Civil Service Commissioner Andrew j.
Preston. the hev DR.. Ialmage and Miss Ialmage
JoLnFoord the Rev. Charles q Hall. q enerai L. f.
Tracy st. Clair McKelway, Dr. Fitzpatrick. II. Ii.
Van lng1n and Augustus siorrs
=" If Mr. Bcccher does die now" said General
Tracy, az he paused fora moment on tho sidewalk
after coming from the house, ne viii have the
desire realized which hc has expressed 80 often
that he would die IN the harness"
CALL PROM DIR. HAMMOND.
Mrs Bcech,r. worn out with watching a. her
husbands bedside. welcomed the arrival of DR..
Hammond lie came In "a cab with Major Pond
few minutes after o'clock. At the consultation
which followed none of Mr.. Beechers relatives
were present. Tho notes that had beer taken by
the nurse during the night and tho early part of
the morning were read to DIR. Hammond as he
held the patients wrist aud counted tho pulse
beats Ihe PATIENTS pulse was then between 30
and 100. Ills temperature was 1914 All efforts
I" rcyivc hi were frnitles& necdle stuck INTO
hls lett slde failed To produce the slightest effect.
The paralysis had evidently become complete: .
Drs llammold and Searlo remained win MI.
Becchcr about half an hour. When they came
down the following bulletlu was pinued on the
house door:
2:3o p. m DR. Hammond in consultation. Mr.
Beccher Is in state OF deep coma all
S Of .Sr besh @ !. con.eraa certain but at an %
definite time Probably not to-day. W. s sEAkLi-
Dr. Hammond was seen as he camo out of the
house. "Mr. Beccher." he sad wliI never Pe CON,
sclous again. mere Is absolutely no hope. lie may
die III two hours and he may last u couple Oh Gays
longer. but death Is certain Inc paralysis oi tne
entire left side ~ now complete. Nothng rOuses him.
He lies III a state of coma but suffers no pain, or
AZ least ~ CONSCIOUS Oi none. he patient Is now
merely a breathing machine. Practically ne Is II
dead man. Jnst how long he may De able 10 Keep
up this automatic life II is difficult to say. But
II cannot ast very long. The members OF the lam
lily fully understand this. and are prepared TOT the
worst. -, e.,
Tie Doctor added that he had told the family
that 1t wonld not bc necessary tor him ID come over
again, AZ nothing more coud DC uoho ioI 'n' p"-
tent. ru
Ielcgrams were sen, to all the relatives of Mr.
Bcecher early III the day informing them oi MS
hopeless condition. 10 many Of thrse replies weIc
received III a short time. Mr. Beechei,s SISTER,
Mrs Harriet Bccchcr stowe, sent word 'nae n. s,r
would be here to-day. Mr.. Isabella Beecher
ford. two other sisters, sent ,,,9 similar
word. Mr.. Beechers brothers. ," liii'm'
who lIves III Pennsylvania, and Thomas M OF El-
MIRA, VIII abO come on, ~ Will MS hoPpo" pteu'
of Uillsooro hIo These last three are ministers.
l. ate III tho evening his son Herbert. VINO was re-
Gently appointed a United States Treasury Agent
IN Washington Territory, sent word that he was
on hls way last Mrs. Scoville Mr.. Boechers sister.
arrived early IN the day.
MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY RECEIVED.
TeleGrams of coincidence were Ieceved from
prominent people and friends Of the pastor from al
parts OF the country. President Cleveland sent
long dispatch TO Mrs. Beecher expressing his sor
l..r h,tal. "A nttt
might not prove fatal me family, at The request
of Ars. BeccheI, declined to make any OF ihe
messages public. lt WIS reported that caoe uis
match had been received from Qneen Victoria ou'
Major Pond said that this was not true. WA,
Colonel Henry Is. Beecher and his brother III "a,
lam G., and their wives, Miss Bullard, u heco ~ p
Mr. Becchcr's. the Rev. Or. Edward Beecher' .no
pastors elder b, otner. and Mr. and Mrs. Scofnie
remained at the house all the day. Az oc'0oN
DR. Searic made the following statement
epm-Tho condition Of Mr. Bcecher has not matetiauy
during iln dly Lie Is In a denseIy cOLhtlso